Sofia Coppola, director of The Virgin Suicides, The Bling Ring and Lost in Translation, will direct a live-action version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Little Mermaid.

Deadline confirmed reports that talks had taken place between Coppola and Universal/Working Title. Atonement director Joe Wright had previously been attached to the project; he is currently working on Pan, an update of JM Barrie’s children’s stories.